Development Director

After 24 years or service, South Whitehall Township Community Development Director, Jeff Higgins, will retire. Township Manager Jon Hammer said Higgins oversaw many important zoning issues during his tenure, including the township's comprehensive plan. Commissioners unanimously agreed to appoint John Franz as the new primary building code official and code enforcement officer. Carl Wilson was appointed as an alternate.

The Allentown Rescue Mission has hired former Bethlehem restaurateur, city councilman and 15 t h District congressional aide Tom Mohr as its new development director. Mohr and wife, Yolanda, co-owned Third Street Chicken and Ribs in Bethlehem from 1983 to 2006. Mohr also served as a congressional aide to former U.S. Rep. Paul McHale and as a city councilman from 1990 to 1995. He has worked in development posts with the United Way and Habitat for Humanity. Mohr's duties as development director include organizing and directing community philanthropy, funds management, fundraising, donor relations, community relations, marketing, advocacy, event management, and "other activities that enhance or expand revenue" and other resources.

The Phillies love to boast about their homegrown talent. Their pregame notes, handed out during the postseason, always include a paragraph about how many of their regulars have appeared in every one of their playoff games since 2007. In a day and age when trades and free-agent signings are common, having the core group of Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz there for all 46 playoff games is noteworthy. But when you look at what they have done offensively throughout their postseason careers, maybe something they learned - or didn't learn - about hitting in the minor leagues is what really needs to be examined.

The Democratic candidates for Northampton County executive agree on one thing: Northampton County needs to get back in the economic redevelopment game. Glenn Reibman, Lamont McClure and John Callahan all favor tax incentives to stimulate economic development and job growth, and agree the county needs to hire a director of community and economic development, a position that's been vacant eight years. Executive John Stoffa never filled the post, and says that saved taxpayers $1.5 million.

The Allentown Rescue Mission has hired former Bethlehem restaurateur, city councilman and 15 t h District congressional aide Tom Mohr as its new development director. Mohr and wife, Yolanda, co-owned Third Street Chicken and Ribs in Bethlehem from 1983 to 2006. Mohr also served as a congressional aide to former U.S. Rep. Paul McHale and as a city councilman from 1990 to 1995. He has worked in development posts with the United Way and Habitat for Humanity. Mohr's duties as development director include organizing and directing community philanthropy, funds management, fundraising, donor relations, community relations, marketing, advocacy, event management, and "other activities that enhance or expand revenue" and other resources.

Civic Theatre of Allentown has named John P. Toner of Bethlehem, a former general manager for CG Companies Inc., as development director. The announcement comes in the midst of Civic's multi-million dollar capital campaign to renovate the 19th Street Theatre. Civic recently purchased a new building to house its scenery shop and allow future growth in its arts programming. Plans are underway to upgrade the theater's projection and sound systems and to add rest rooms to the building's main floor.

Another high-profile Lehigh County official announced his resignation Thursday, as a new Democratic regime conducts interviews for cabinet positions. Kenneth H. Mohr Jr., the director of community and economic development, will step down effective Jan. 3. Mohr, 52, said he is still considering his future. "I'm keeping my options open." He worked on downtown Allentown redevelopment, where he believes momentum is building. "Nothing breeds success like success," he said, saying there is more than $500 million being invested downtown.

Lehigh County commissioners approved the contentious nomination of Cindy Feinberg to the community and economic development director post at their meeting Wednesday. They also easily confirmed County Executive Don Cunningham's picks for public defender, solicitor and general services director. The opposition to Feinberg centered on her qualifications and her decision on a controversial land-sale deal as a school director in Salisbury Township. But others found her resume impressive and spoke of the appointment power of the Democratic executive.

Kurt J. Derr of Allentown on Wednesday became the second announced candidate for one of the six Lehigh County commissioner seats available in this year's elections. Derr, 32, of 820 N. Oswego St. is development director for the Boys & Girls Club of Easton. A Democrat, he has bachelor's degrees in economics and political science from Penn State University and a master's in public administration from the University of Pennsylvania. A former research analyst for retired state Sen. Roy C. Afflerbach, Derr said his experience in his current and past jobs would help him be an effective commissioner.

Allentown has a new person in charge of its revitalization efforts. City Council unanimously confirmed Joyce Marin on Wednesday as director of Allentown's Department of Community & Economic Development. She will oversee the city's planning, health, building standards and safety and economic and community development programs, which together employ about 100 people and have a budget of about $7.6 million. Marin, 49, of Emmaus previously held a similar role as executive director of the Allentown Economic Development Corp.

After 24 years or service, South Whitehall Township Community Development Director, Jeff Higgins, will retire. Township Manager Jon Hammer said Higgins oversaw many important zoning issues during his tenure, including the township's comprehensive plan. Commissioners unanimously agreed to appoint John Franz as the new primary building code official and code enforcement officer. Carl Wilson was appointed as an alternate.

If Thursday's meeting of more than 30 area developers was the first step in ironing out a compromise to deal with Allentown's unique hockey arena taxing district, it got off on the wrong foot when a city official who tried to crash the meeting was ejected from the property. When Sara Hailstone, Allentown's director of community and economic development director, tried to enter the private meeting, she was asked to leave. And when she stood outside a little too close to the door, she was asked to exit the Best Western Hotel off Route 512, where the meeting was held.

The Phillies love to boast about their homegrown talent. Their pregame notes, handed out during the postseason, always include a paragraph about how many of their regulars have appeared in every one of their playoff games since 2007. In a day and age when trades and free-agent signings are common, having the core group of Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz there for all 46 playoff games is noteworthy. But when you look at what they have done offensively throughout their postseason careers, maybe something they learned - or didn't learn - about hitting in the minor leagues is what really needs to be examined.

PHILADELPHIA — Benny Looper, the Phillies assistant GM in charge of player personnel, announced on Wednesday afternoon that Joe Jordan has been named director of player development. Jordan is replacing Chuck LaMar, who unexpectedly resigned Sept. 6, an announcement that was made in the middle of a game at Citizens Bank Park. While with the Phillies, LaMar also had "Assistant GM" attached to his title, but GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said during the last week of the regular season that whoever the club hired, would likely not be considered an assistant GM. Jordan, 49, spent the last seven seasons (2005-11)

On behalf of the staff at Chevy 21 and owner Jerry Horst, I am writing to thank the Bethlehem Fire Department for the incredible job it did in dealing with the difficult fire at our dealership on July 21. Firefighters battled 100-degree heat plus the volatile situation with explosions as they attempted to contain the flames. We are very thankful to have such professionalism and bravery as the backbone of our fire department's character. Mark M. Morin The writer is Internet/business development director at Chevy 21.

The longtime Upper Macungie community development director's plan to retire in November has sparked debate among township supervisors who disagree over whether the current director should train a new hire starting this summer or if the hiring should be postponed until the economy improves. Bruce Wlazelek has served the township for decades, shepherding developers through intricate projects, making sure they follow the township's ordinances and build well-planned neighborhoods and industrial complexes.

It will be a while before Easton City Council gets a draft report from the city's Operation Weed & Seed committee, but Chairwoman Christine Cleaver will tell council tonight that the program is on track. Cleaver, the city's economic development director, said the past six months have been spent assembling an attack plan to address the not-so-visible problems plaguing the West Ward -- inferior housing, public health and education issues and neighborhood quality-of-life problems. Though the program kicked off last year with the highly visible and publicized Operation Triggerlock crime sweep by local and state police -- the "weeding" part of the neighborhood improvement project -- the "seed" section to rebuild the community requires a plan that includes priorities and coordination of the various agencies and departments that will be involved.

Hannah Zabitz of Bethlehem has been named regional representative of Development Corp. for Israel, which handles sales of Israeli bonds and other government securities throughout the United States and other countries. Active in Jewish affairs, Zabitz was a fund-raising consultant for the Astor Theatre in Reading and development director of the State Theatre in Easton. She was also development director and special events coordinator for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Whitehall.

Ryan Baumuller has been named director of special projects by East Stroudsburg University Foundation. He will focus on building a Young Alumni Program with a strong emphasis on social media and fundraising. He comes to the foundation from his previous position as assistant director of alumni relations at Albright College. From 2005 through 2007, he was a manager at Ramapo River Reserve at American Pool Management in Oakland, N.J. Baumuller has a bachelor's degree in history from Albright College.